Religion Notes: May 4

Published: Saturday, May 4, 2013 at 8:53 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, May 4, 2013 at 8:53 a.m.

The Rev. Mike Smith, pastor of Fruitland Baptist Church, received the Baptist State Convention and N.C. Baptist Foundation’s 2013 Heritage Award on April 23 in Greensboro.

This award is presented for exemplary service and giving on behalf of Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.

A native of Marion, Smith served Oak Grove Baptist Church in Lake Toxaway (1984-88) after graduating from Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute. He served as the pastor of Eagle Heights Baptist Church in Shepherdsville, Ky. (1988-92) before accepting the call to pastor Fruitland Baptist, where he has served as the senior pastor for almost 22 years.

Smith has continued his studies at Mars Hill College (B.A. in religion, summa cum laude, 1988) and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity, 1991; Doctor of Ministry, 2002).

Adult forums focus on mental health

Weekly adult forums continue at 9:15 a.m.

Sundays in the Felix building of First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1735 Fifth Ave. W. and White Pine Drive. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, the focus of the series.

u Sunday: Staff and supporters of Sixth Avenue Clubhouse and Community Treatment Team will offer an overview of the services they provide to those in Hendersonville affected by mental illness. Executive Director Kristen Martin will lead the presentation.

u May 12: The forum will be introducing Mountain Faith Initiatives, a gathering of people from various faith communities in the Hendersonville area with a focus on mental health and the importance of the spiritual journey in healing and recovery.

MFI’s goal is to engage faith communities in reducing stigma and encouraging the treatment of the whole person by offering materials, educational opportunities and support.

u May 19: Dr. Clay Eddelman will take a look at the effects of post traumatic stress disorder. As a psychiatrist with the Veterans’ Administration, Eddelman has much experience in working with military personnel suffering from PTSD. But did you know that people don’t have to have experienced war to experience PTSD?

u May 26: Nancy Moreland and Valerie Holcombe with the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI Four Seasons) will present “Bridges of Hope,” a look at how NAMI is responding to the needs of persons with mental illness and their families, and what we can all do help.

Call 828-692-8630 or visit fcchendersonville.

org for more information.

ASHEVILLE

Churches collaborate for May 19 concert

A first-time community concert, “Embrace the Cross,” featuring Oakley United Methodist Church, Groce United Methodist Church and Mills River Presbyterian Church musicians, is set for 7 p.m. May 19 at Oakley United Methodist Church, 607 Fairview Road, Asheville. The concert is free and includes both group and solo singing performances, a chamber orchestra and piano and organ music.

Individuals associated with the three churches will sing together as a unified chorus under the shared direction of music directors from each church.

“This will be a combined community effort to showcase the talents of both soloists and our 40-member unified chorus,” said Stuart Littleton, director of music/organist at Oakley. “We’ve chosen ‘Embrace the Cross’ as the concert’s musical theme to recall the great substance of Christ’s gift of mercy.”

A free, staffed nursery is also available during the concert.

Soloists for the concert include William Jones, Ruth Butler and Rosie Andrus. Mary Daniels, a prominent Asheville area musician and former concertmaster of the Asheville Symphony for 25 years, will serve as concertmaster for the performance. Jerry Crouch is responsible for narration and cast members, and serves as artistic director for the event. Crouch and the actors are all regular performers from Asheville Community Theatre.

Call 828-274-7656 for more information.

BREVARD

Magazine publishes BC professor’s works

Brevard College professor Dr. Mel Bringle recently had two articles published in The Christian Century magazine.

The cover story, “Singing From One Book,” and an accompanying piece, “Debating Hymns,” are featured in the May 15 issue of the national magazine. In the articles, Bringle explores why hymns matter as well as why many churchgoers are often hesitant to accept the use of a new hymnal.

Bringle is professor of philosophy and religious studies and chair of the Humanities Division at Brevard College, where she teaches such courses as logic, existential literature, women and religion, and environmental theology.

Recognized in 2002 as an “emerging hymn text writer of the U.S. and Canada,” Bringle has won numerous international competitions for hymn texts and is the author of two single-author collections. Her hymns are included in hymnals and supplements of numerous denominations, and her translations from the Spanish figure in a bilingual hymnal to be released this summer by GIA.

She is a ruling elder at Trinity Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in Hendersonville.

The Christian Century is a progressive, ecumenical biweekly magazine based in Chicago that is committed to thinking critically and living faithfully, while exploring what it means to believe and live out the Christian faith.

<p>Baptists honor Fruitland pastor Smith </p><p>The Rev. Mike Smith, pastor of Fruitland Baptist Church, received the Baptist State Convention and N.C. Baptist Foundation's 2013 Heritage Award on April 23 in Greensboro.</p><p>This award is presented for exemplary service and giving on behalf of Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.</p><p>A native of Marion, Smith served Oak Grove Baptist Church in Lake Toxaway (1984-88) after graduating from Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute. He served as the pastor of Eagle Heights Baptist Church in Shepherdsville, Ky. (1988-92) before accepting the call to pastor Fruitland Baptist, where he has served as the senior pastor for almost 22 years.</p><p>Smith has continued his studies at Mars Hill College (B.A. in religion, summa cum laude, 1988) and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity, 1991; Doctor of Ministry, 2002). </p><p>Adult forums focus on mental health </p><p>Weekly adult forums continue at 9:15 a.m.</p><p>Sundays in the Felix building of First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1735 Fifth Ave. W. and White Pine Drive. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, the focus of the series. </p><p>u Sunday: Staff and supporters of Sixth Avenue Clubhouse and Community Treatment Team will offer an overview of the services they provide to those in Hendersonville affected by mental illness. Executive Director Kristen Martin will lead the presentation. </p><p>u May 12: The forum will be introducing Mountain Faith Initiatives, a gathering of people from various faith communities in the Hendersonville area with a focus on mental health and the importance of the spiritual journey in healing and recovery.</p><p>MFI's goal is to engage faith communities in reducing stigma and encouraging the treatment of the whole person by offering materials, educational opportunities and support. </p><p>u May 19: Dr. Clay Eddelman will take a look at the effects of post traumatic stress disorder. As a psychiatrist with the Veterans' Administration, Eddelman has much experience in working with military personnel suffering from PTSD. But did you know that people don't have to have experienced war to experience PTSD? </p><p>u May 26: Nancy Moreland and Valerie Holcombe with the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI Four Seasons) will present “Bridges of Hope,” a look at how NAMI is responding to the needs of persons with mental illness and their families, and what we can all do help.</p><p>Call 828-692-8630 or visit fcchendersonville.</p><p>org for more information. </p><p>ASHEVILLE </p><p>Churches collaborate for May 19 concert </p><p>A first-time community concert, “Embrace the Cross,” featuring Oakley United Methodist Church, Groce United Methodist Church and Mills River Presbyterian Church musicians, is set for 7 p.m. May 19 at Oakley United Methodist Church, 607 Fairview Road, Asheville. The concert is free and includes both group and solo singing performances, a chamber orchestra and piano and organ music. </p><p>Individuals associated with the three churches will sing together as a unified chorus under the shared direction of music directors from each church. </p><p>“This will be a combined community effort to showcase the talents of both soloists and our 40-member unified chorus,” said Stuart Littleton, director of music/organist at Oakley. “We've chosen 'Embrace the Cross' as the concert's musical theme to recall the great substance of Christ's gift of mercy.” </p><p>A free, staffed nursery is also available during the concert. </p><p>Soloists for the concert include William Jones, Ruth Butler and Rosie Andrus. Mary Daniels, a prominent Asheville area musician and former concertmaster of the Asheville Symphony for 25 years, will serve as concertmaster for the performance. Jerry Crouch is responsible for narration and cast members, and serves as artistic director for the event. Crouch and the actors are all regular performers from Asheville Community Theatre. </p><p>Call 828-274-7656 for more information. </p><p>BREVARD </p><p>Magazine publishes BC professor's works </p><p>Brevard College professor Dr. Mel Bringle recently had two articles published in The Christian Century magazine. </p><p>The cover story, “Singing From One Book,” and an accompanying piece, “Debating Hymns,” are featured in the May 15 issue of the national magazine. In the articles, Bringle explores why hymns matter as well as why many churchgoers are often hesitant to accept the use of a new hymnal. </p><p>Bringle is professor of philosophy and religious studies and chair of the Humanities Division at Brevard College, where she teaches such courses as logic, existential literature, women and religion, and environmental theology. </p><p>Recognized in 2002 as an “emerging hymn text writer of the U.S. and Canada,” Bringle has won numerous international competitions for hymn texts and is the author of two single-author collections. Her hymns are included in hymnals and supplements of numerous denominations, and her translations from the Spanish figure in a bilingual hymnal to be released this summer by GIA. </p><p>She is a ruling elder at Trinity Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in Hendersonville. </p><p>The Christian Century is a progressive, ecumenical biweekly magazine based in Chicago that is committed to thinking critically and living faithfully, while exploring what it means to believe and live out the Christian faith. </p><p>Compiled from staff reports</p>